Water-wheel



= vPATENT 0EE1CE.

EDWARD STERN, oE PHrLADELPHrA, PENNSYLVANIA.

WATER-vvi-,l'EE-L.

SPECIFICATIN forming partA of Letters Patent No. 413,976, dated october29, 1889.

' Application tiled March .1, 1889. Serial No. 301,646. (No model.)

.To a/ZZ whom it may ooncei-n;

Be it known that I, EDWARD STEEN, a citi-A zen of the United States,residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Penn- Lsylvania, have invented anew and useful Improvement in Water-Wheels,which improvei y ment is fully set forth in the following speciiicationand accompanying drawing.

` My invention consists of a water wheel to adapted tohave the energy ofwater transmitted to the same by means of an elastic medium-such assprings, air, (bc-stored in the wheel.

It also consists in adapting the wheel to receive further energy otrotation, owing to the reaction of said medium. The figure is a partialside elevation and v partial vertical section of a Water-wheel embodyingmy invention, the dotted lines in the 2o iigure showing the position ofthe pistonheads when forced back by the current of water.

Referring to the drawing,'A designates a y wheel-case, and B the fiumeor chute at the z 5 bottom of the same. Y i

C designates the water wheel, the same having arms or vanes D, whichradiate from the hub of the wheel, and are secured to the wheel in anysuitable manner. 3o Connected with the arms and side casings of thewheel, near the outer Yends thereof, are tubes or casings E, withinwhich are plungers or pistons F and coiled springs G, the former i beingat the outer endsof the casing, the lat- 3 5 ter between said plungersand the arms D.

" Inter-posed between the outer ends of the casings E, orlocated at theperiphery of the wheel and secured to the heads thereof, are chambers orpockets H, it being noticed that 4o said pockets and the casings Ev areopen at the periphery ofthe wheel, so that water from the iiume mayenter the same, and also that the casings E- are projected, in` a lineat or about a right angl'eto the radiating arms D.

vThe springs used to convey the power or pressure from the pistons or`plungers to the t radiating arms of the wheel can be passed throughinterposing arms until they reach an arm which they strike at or aboutright an- 5o gles, substantially as shown. The flume is i depressed at apoint directly below the wheel, as at J, concentric with the peripheryof the plunger as it enters the highpressure area 0f fiume, asdistinguished from the low-pressure area or discharge area of the tlume,whereby said pistons, being only supported by the springs from theradiating arms D, are forced inward, the water filling the space in thecylinder or casings as the pistons are spring thus being exerted againstthe relative arm D, so that, as a portion ofthe energy of the water istransferred to the arms D, the.

wheel receives power and consequently rotation. Owing to the pressure ofthe water Which now iills the cylinder in front of the piston or plungerF, said plunger is held in position until opportunity is afforded theenergy or power stored up in the elastic medium to force the. piston orplunger F to the periphery of the wheel. This opportunity is afforded oroffered when, by the rotation of the wheel, the cylinders, after passingthe cut-off J, enter the area of discharge. The reactive force of theenergy stored in the elastic medium also contributes to the rotation ofthe wheel when it forces the water from the cylinders after the samehave by rotation passed into the low-pressure or discharge area of thenume, it being seen that the wheel has been subjected to the energy oraction of the water at or about the place where it dips into the fiumeand the subsequent reaction of the springs.

It is evident that in lieu of coiled springs material may be employed; or, if desired, air or other elastic mediums or fluids could be made useof by means of appropriate mechanism, in which case the air or otherfluid would be compressed by the plungers when the same are forcedinward, and also react and press the plungers outward when the force orpressure upon the surface of the plunger is relieved, or partiallyrelieved, through the plunger passing into the area4 of low pressure ofthe iiume. It is also evident that I may use steam or other fluidscapable of proforced inward, the tension or pressure of said shown anddescribed, rubber or other elastic IOO ducing pressure, in lieu ofwater, as the prime motor of the wheel.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A Water-Wheel with radiating arms, tubes connecting with said armsand having peripheral openin gs, an elastic medium in said tubes, andplungers working in the tubes and adapted to compress said medium, saidparts being combined substantially as described.

2. A water-wheel with arms having tubes With openings at the peripheryof the wheel, an elastic medium in said tubes, plungers Working in saidtubes and adapted to compress said elastic medium, and peripheralpockets in said wheels between the openings of said tubes, said partsbeing combined substantially as described.

3. A Water-wheel with radiating arms and having au elastic medium storedtherein and disposed at a line at or about a right angle to in saidWheel adapted to compress said medium, in combination with a flumehaving an abutment for the periphery ot the Wheel, substantially asdescribed.

EDWARD STERN.

lVitnesses:

JOHN A. WIEDERSHEIM, A. P. J ENNINGS.

